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TIGER BALM
I love the red round tin can that fits snugly in my palm. Mom calls it Wan Jin Yu— "Ten Thousand Golden Oils." Headaches? Muscular pains? Massage this paraffin magic on where it hurts and your ailments are gone. I've wondered whether that tiger on the cap is leaping into me or out— swirls of black stripes on orange, an analgesic wildcat devouring fire demons or antibiotic samurai dispelling tiger fever? Chinese legends say clouds follow the dragon, winds trail the tiger— Is this the secret of Tiger Balm? Not camphor, menthol, oils of peppermint, cassia and clove, but a cleansing wind that heals and brings us calm. Peter Y. Chou Palo Alto, 5-16-91 |